M.E. looking for a new job 2

[NDEngineer]

Wow, this is such a great forum!

I have been working for a small M&E consulting firm as a Mechanical Design Engineer for almost a year (I graduated college last May). I enjoy my job for the most part, but I have a very low salary and don't like the city that I live in. For these reasons, I am on the job hunt again and seeking advice from those of you with years of experience behind you.

My main dillema is whether I should find another consulting firm to work for, or try something different. Working at a large HVAC company as a product development engineer or something along those lines seems interesting to me, but I don't know an awful lot about the responsibilities of a position like this. Does anyone that does this type of work wish to offer advice?

Another thing I'm concerned about is the ability to obtain my P.E. Can I do this if I work for a manufacturer? It seems to me that almost all P.E.'s are consultants. I am looking for employment in a large metropolitan area, so I have a lot of options...I'm just not sure which ones to go for! I don't know a lot of other Mechanical Engineers in the workforce, so I'm asking you guys for some guidance. Thanks!!

 

[SlideRuleEra]

NDEngineer - There are many routes to obtaining a PE license. As long as you are performing engineering work, can provide a meaningful written desciption to your state board, and have good references with the necessary credentials, you should have no trouble qualifying to take the PE exam. Of course, passing it is up to you. There are plenty of PEs in industry & government, not just consulting.

Best Wishes

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[EngJW]

You don't always get to choose where you live or what type of company you work for. It mostly depends on what openings are available at the time, and whether you think you fit in and if they offer you the job. Since you are just starting out, don't be afraid to change jobs several times. You get lots of new experience each time, and more money. Later on you might reach a point where you are less willing to change, or companies will not hire you because of your age.

You aren't making $100k like some other posts seem to indicate is typical? He He

 

[buzzp]

I just want to mention something from someone who has worked both sides of the fence. This is not meant to be a bash to consultants but I found the manufacturing work much more satisfying than consulting work. In addition, job stability is generally much better with a mfg. The consultants go through help like convenience stores go through cashiers. If there is no work, then you lose your job. If construction is done, consulting suffers. Whereas, mfg is not affected as much as with consulting work.

You can still get your PE regardless of whether you work for a consultant or a mfg. You just need the four years experience, completion of the FE (or EIT in my case), and some PE recommendations. Of course, the PE recommendations may be hard to come by if you work for a mfg but you can find some with a little work. Some boards will wave this requirement if you have been working in a mfging environment. Good luck.

 

[NDEngineer]

Thanks guys! Three great replies...and fast! I am getting exactly the kind of advice that I was looking for. Looks like the whole P.E. issue is pretty much resolved...

buzzp, why do you say that your manufacturing job was more satifying than your consulting job? (I also have this feeling, but I would like to hear your reasons). I'm actually LESS worried about job stability with my current employer than I would be working for a large company.

$100k...yeah right....more like 1000k!!

 

[IRstuff]

One source of satisfaction might be that in a large company, you'd get to see the entire life cycle of a project, from concept to completion to testing.

TTFN

 

[waskillywabbit]

Since most people spend the majority of their waking hours at work the majority of the years of their adult life...why be unhappy in the majority of your waking hours in the majority of your adult life. There are WAY too many folks like this in the world already walking around grumpy and unproductive. Work the job you don't like, or in the city you don't like, until you find one you do, then move. Make sense?

You have one life to live, there isn't another one in the bank w/ the $100K!



Brian

http://www.mcabeeconstruction.com

Opinions expressed are my own and are not those of the company.

 

[DRWeig]

Just my two cents on the consulting vs. manufacturing issue: As a consultant, I was a "unit of production" and the longevity of my employment / size of my income depended upon my level of billable hours each week. That's one kind of pressure I found I didn't like.

As a product engineer, I'm a piece of the overhead and if I need to take days at a time for research, it's no problem. Easier to educate myself, in other words.

Good luck with it!!

 

[plasgears]

Do a little analytical research on places to live. I used "Finding Your Best Place to Live in America." Thomas Bowman et al. Warner Books. 1983 or later editions.

It covers dozens of criteria, which you personalize with extra weight in areas important to you. Chapter headings:
- Finding your place to prosper.
- Location rating systems.
- Where the money tree blooms.
- Whither the weather.
- Population winners/losers.
- Warning - hazards to health.
- Final analysis - summation and considerations.

Engrs can have fun wading thru this analysis. Also, rate your present location. It's an eye opener.

 

[EngJW]

Some one told me once to write down all the things you have done in the past month. If it consists mostly of watching television, then it doesn't matter where you live. On the other hand, if you are after night life, culture, hunting, sports, or whatever, then it matters. Every city has its own culture, both good and bad. Long time residents hate it here. We have the worst drivers and most corrupt politicians they say. However, I know that they were just the same in the last place I lived.

 

[buzzp]

Its hard to put my finger on exactly why I prefer product design to manufacturing. Perhaps its because most of my experience is with product design. I like taking nothing and making something. The consulting work I have done, has been specifying products to use in a system. It is fun to go over specs and that but there does not seem to be as many challenges as with product design. Product design allows me to have more 'hands on' than consulting work. You know playing with all the test equipment like scopes, analyzers, environmental chambers, meters, etc. I like playing with these things. Consultants seem to be very limited on the hands on work. I guess thats probably the biggest reason I prefer product design work.
Consulting for electrical types seems to be mostly buildings, substations, and other types of power work, which I don't care for much at all. Maybe my experiences are limited but I don't think EE consulting is that technically challenging based on my experiences.
If I can come up with some more reasoning I will certainly post it.

 

[EngJW]

I really enjoy product design. You can beat your head against the wall for days until you suddenly come up with a concept, then you use 3d modeling and other programs to develop it, make the drawings, and decide on the materials. Finally, you get to see it turn into a real part. There is a lot of variety- gears, cams, castings, forgings, etc. Of course, sometimes you screw up and everyone knows it, and other times you spend hours on something and have to trash it, but that is all part of the challenge. I wouldn't want to be a project leader where you work on budgets, go to meetings, play politics, and depend on others to do the work and take the blame if they don't.

It doesn't pay much, but there isn't anything I'd rather be doing except drive a race car and I'm too old for that.

 

[buzzp]

JLwoodward, You build the car and Ill drive it for you! I used to have a Wissota Street Stock I raced on a 1/2 mile dirt track. Lotsa fun and lotse money. I plan to get into it again someday soon.

 

[NDEngineer]

It looks like the general concensus here is to enjoy what you're doing and to experience as much as you can when you're young. Not surprising, I guess, and I'll have to agree with this advice. I just have to work on breaking out of my "comfort zone."

buzzp, your reasoning seems to make sense to me...I tend to be more interested in how things work than how they are applied. There also seems to be a lot more politics involved with consulting that I really don't care to deal with. I am a little uncomfortable with "making something out of nothing," so a job that involves finding ways to make a product better would be what I am most interested in.

DRWeig, it's nice to hear another opinion from someone that has actually worked in both industries. Thanks.

I didn't really mention it too much in my first post, but it looks like people are also giving good advice about moving, where to live, etc. The area I am looking at right now is the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Any comments?

 

[EngJW]

Bet it would be a great place to live. Never been there but have heard good comments. I lived in Buffalo for a long time and loved the city life. Lived in Mobile for a while and didn't like at, so moved to Memphis which is more of a city. Minneapolis is probably similar. Should be lots of culture, good food, neat architecture, plenty to keep you busy.

 

[buzzp]

Not sure where your at now but Minneapolis is cold in the winter (expect below zero easily in the winter) but not colder than where I am. Lotsa culture there and I liked it when I visited there.

 

[EddyC]

I'll put my 2 cents in about the manufacturing vs consulting work environments. I started out working in a manufacturing environment but somehow ended up as an employee (not owner) at 2 consulting firms (not concurrently). At these 2 jobs I felt like I was under the microscope. I also feel that the engineering managers acted more like accountants rather than engineers. The up side of my current job (at a consulting firm) is that it takes me to various parts of New York City. I therefore get to visit all different kinds of neighborhoods and buildings. I also get interesting street views from the rooftops of buildings.

 

[That1Guy]

In my experience, I find that manufacturing gets terribly repititive and stale. If you are wired anything like me, once you've designed the same basic product for the ten thousandth time, you start to get sloppy because it's no longer a remote challenge. I find that the consulting world offers a wider array of projects, especially considering the same company will do a variety of things. Of course, your manufacturing company idea may not be the same as my experience working for one.

All that being said, my vote is for consulting. But the bottom line is go where your professional desire leads you. You'll eventually be miserable doing something that just doesn't inspire you. That is also something I've learned in my manufacturing experience.

Good luck and keep us informed as to what you do.

 

[EngJW]

In most of my time in product design we worked steady, predictable hours. However, the manufacturing guys that I knew worked ungodly hours- nights, weekends, holidays, even losing vacation time. Plus they got a lot of abuse in meetings and were constantly being threatened with getting fired. It might not be like that everywhere, but it is something to watch for.

 

[NDEngineer]

Sounds like the Twin Cities have a decent reputation…I’m not so worried about the cold, because I grew up, and currently live, in a similar climate. The traffic is the main thing I am worried about.

I think everyone has a slightly different idea of positions titled “design” or “manufacturing,” etc…. (either that, or it’s just me that is confused). I don’t think I’m necessarily looking for a manufacturing job. Can anyone give a decent explanation of different engineering positions, or point me to a good source where some are listed?